Wheel lift that may be rapidly disassembled and converted

Abstract

A self-loading wheel lift with automatically powered wheel support members, such as L-arms, for engaging the wheels of a vehicle to be towed. The wheel lift may be rapidly disassembled in the field and converted to alternating towing assemblies such as tool bars employing frame fork attachments, hook ends, slings, pintle hooks, fifth-wheel plates, king pins, etc.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention generally relates to devices for lifting and towing vehicles by a pair of the vehicle wheels, known as wheel lifts. More particularly, the invention is directed to a self-loading wheel lift that may be rapidly disassembled for transportation or repair and / or rapidly converted or transformed for other applications.[0002]Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,637,623 and 4,798,509 to Alm, each entitled “Towing Apparatus,” and U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,737 to Holmes entitled “Wheel Lift Tow Assembly,” each disclosing known wheel lift assemblies, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,207 to Russ et al., entitled “Hydraulic Wheel Lift System For Tow Vehicles,” are each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this application.[0003]For years the standard hydraulic self-loading wheel lift, such as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,207 to Russ et al. has enjoyed a specific usage in the towing industry. While capable of automatically loadin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a self-loading wheel lift that can be easily disassembled and converted to an alternate towing mechanism. The wheel lift apparatus includes a cross bar that can be positioned below a towable vehicle, and two removable receivers that can be connected to the cross bar. Each receiver carries a wheel support member that can be swung back and forth in a horizontal plane. The wheel support members can be rotated from a position inside the tires of the towable vehicle to a wheel engaging position. The wheel lift apparatus can be rapidly disassembled and converted to an alternate towing apparatus, such as a tool bar, by easily connecting and decoupling each wheel lift apparatus from the cross bar. The wheel support members can be rotated from a position inside the tires of the towable vehicle to a wheel engaging position. The wheel lift apparatus can be easily disassembled and converted to an alternate towing mechanism in the field."

Problems solved by technology

While capable of automatically loading automobiles in seconds with ease and permitting operators to remain in the safe environment of their cab, self-loading wheel lifts can only load those automobiles possessing tires.

Such wheel lifts are also limited by their inability to handle the weight of larger trucks and the like.

In the past, the wheel support members of self-loading wheel lifts have not been designed to be removed from the cross bar.

However, the process required to engage a towed vehicle using a conventional wheel lift is considerably longer than with a self-loading wheel lift, and may take ten minutes or longer.

The L-arms are designed to engage points on the towed vehicle from the outside in, limiting their ability to engage tires located adjacent curbs, for example.

While some conventional wheel lifts may be converted from using L-arms to a tool bar, the conversion has been manual and time-consuming, and the L-arms were unable to swing from the inside out, limiting their application.

Additionally, the presence of permanently attached powering mechanisms such as hydraulic cylinders may render it difficult and time-consuming to remove wheel support members and / or receivers from the cross bar.

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